The President of Mexico, Claudia Sheinbaum, confirmed that her government has filed a lawsuit against the company Google, after it adopted the name “Gulf of America” on its maps platform, even in regions that do not belong to the United States.
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The controversy arises from an executive order signed by the American president Donald Trump on January 20, 2025, instructing federal agencies in his country to use that name only for the waters of the Gulf of Mexico under their jurisdiction.
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“It is already being sued. There was already a first resolution and we are waiting. All we want is for the decree issued by the government of the United States to be complied with,” Sheinbaum stated in a press conference. As she explained, “the U.S. order only authorizes the use of the term ‘Gulf of America’ for the part corresponding to the continental shelf of the United States,” without implying the rest of the Gulf, whose designation is internationally recognized as the ‘Gulf of Mexico’."
Sheinbaum emphasized that the Mexican government does not oppose the United States naming the areas under its sovereignty as it pleases. “They have jurisdiction over it. We couldn’t say anything about them changing the name of a state, a mountain, a lake. So, the part that corresponds to their territory they can call it as they decide. But the part that corresponds to Mexico cannot be renamed," she said.
The controversial change by Google
Starting on February 10, users in the United States began to see the name "Gulf of America“, while in Mexico the platform continued to display “Gulf of Mexico”, and in other regions both denominations were shown.
The decision by Trump, based on Executive Order 14172, aimed to “honor American greatness” and was accompanied by the proclamation of February 9 as " Gulf of America Day." However, the measure has generated a mixed reaction among users: while some in the United States see it as a patriotic act, a significant portion of the population opposes the change. In Mexico, on the other hand, it has been perceived as a cultural affront.
Internationally, countries like the United Kingdom have chosen to continue using the term “Gulf of Mexico,” citing its historical use and recognition by the International Hydrographic Organization. President Sheinbaum reiterated that the claim is not against the United States, but against Google for applying the new name to areas that do not correspond to US territory: “What we are saying is: Google, adhere to what the US government approved.”